Prominent Buddhist monk arrested over alleged sex abuse
Summary
Sri Lankan police arrested a senior Buddhist monk, Pallegama Hemarathana, for allegedly sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl in 2022. The monk is the chief priest of a famous temple in Anuradhapura and is set to appear in court soon, while the victim’s mother was also arrested for helping him.Key Facts
- Pallegama Hemarathana, 71, was arrested at a hospital in Colombo during the investigation.
- The alleged abuse happened at a well-known temple in Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Hemarathana is the chief custodian of a sacred Bodhi tree and leads eight important temples on a Buddhist pilgrim route.
- The victim’s mother is accused of aiding the monk and has been arrested.
- The monk faces a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday, following a travel ban imposed by a local court.
- This case is the highest-profile sexual abuse allegation against Buddhist clergy in Sri Lanka.
- The arrest follows other recent crimes involving Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka and neighboring Thailand.
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